“I tasted it on your...” he grimaced. “...lips today.”
It was so hard to say it now when there was nobody around? It hadn’t been wine he’d tasted but what difference did it make.
“Cola is fine,” she said.
“Two cola’s for me and my girl,” he ordered loudly enough that nosy people turned to investigate. How embarrassing, she looked like his hookup.
“Quit calling me your girl,” she scowled at him, then smiled at a couple passing.
Lengthy strings of clear lights lit the dim room creating a soft atmosphere that welcomed people to mingle on the sidelines or show their moves on the dance floor...where she spotted her dad spinning Elaine. Her plaid skirt went flying around him while one hand gripped her hat and she landed in his arms, both of them laughing. They looked like they were right out of an old western.
“Here you go darlin’.” Colt’s arm wrapped around her front, holding the plastic cup for her, while he pressed his warm body against her back.
Peyton took the drink and slipped away from him, turning to face him. He had that smug, maddening look on his face like he got pleasure from making her squirm. Well, he was making fools of both of them and she didn’t want to be a part of it. She had a future to think about.
“Colt, honestly it was one afternoon. I didn’t really think you would be this hard to get rid of.” Actually, she hadn’t thought about it at all until they parted and the reality that she had slept with Colt Patterson sunk in. That had been the best shower of her entire life, even if she’d left without a single sud touching her body.
“Like honestly, you sleep with women all the time. If you went chasing them all around like you are with me and calling them your girl and darlin’...” she mimicked his southern tone. “...you would have a lineup around the block. Why won’t you leave me alone?”
Colt practically downed the cola like it was a beer tilting his long, hard throat. She felt her tongue touch her lips again, longing to touch his neck. I’m going to need alcohol if these thoughts persist!
He seemed unfazed by her words.
“So you’re opening a store on the strip with your sisters?” The strip was what the locals referred to the main street of Willow Valley.
Peyton nodded. “A body and soap shop,” she answered knowing he wasn’t really interested and was changing the topic. Maybe that meant he’d heard her and recognized he was acting like a fool. “We’ve been hand-making all the products so they are all natural, with no chemicals added.”
Colt looked uninterested in a topic Peyton could talk about for hours.
She was glad when Kent and Elaine joined them.
Elaine sent Peyton a smile but went right to her son for a hug. “Hey honey. You said you weren’t coming,” she said.
Colt shrugged his thick muscular shoulders. Peyton turned away.
“I couldn’t bail on my sober-buddy.” Was everything a joke to him? “And maybe spend the weekend with my mom.”
Elaine’s smile couldn’t widen any further if she tried and she hugged him again. She was definitely his biggest fan, she even outranked Rosemary.
It wasn’t a minute later and they were all deep in conversation when Colt excused himself and moved to a group of friends from high school ditching her just like she wanted.
Suddenly the dance didn’t seem like as much fun with him halfway across the room. But it was in her best interest. The natter in her head exasperated her and she wished it was full glass of sparkling red wine in her hand.
Chapter Nine
Colt high fived and chatted with his old hockey team mates. None of which had made it to the big leagues like him but all who had been great friends growing up with so he definitely didn’t gloat his success in their faces. He still accepted acknowledgement when his career was brought up...ninety-five percent of the conversation. He was who he was. He had succeeded and he was proud. Well...he had been proud.
They respected his privacy by not pressing his recent run-in with the law...too much. A couple of them said the guy deserved the beating Colt laid on him and the rest cheered. It was a joking banter as the result of their alcohol consumption. Colt remained stone cold sober. The conversations would have likely been better if he had a few in him.
In their drunkenness, they also assumed his retirement was a result of more money than one knew what to do with (that part was true) and taking year-round vacations. Standing in the large circle they basked, dreaming their lives in his shoes. He very well could go on a permanent vacation and he found himself dreaming with them. Only Peyton was sitting on the beach beside him.
The country music poured from the speakers’ one song after the next with different bands interchanging every few songs. He wouldn’t say he was a country music fan like his mother, but years of listening to it had helped him grow accustomed.
He found himself stealing glances at Peyton who’s night hadn’t laggard just because he’d left, which was exactly what she had wanted. It was a good idea to give them a break from all the sexual tension between them or else they were going to end up back in that closet. Only this time he wouldn’t ignore the desire in her eyes.
Sydney had shown up after all with Jake something, he couldn’t remember his last name, in tow. His squared shoulder walk had attitude. His serious stare warned people not to piss with him. A bad ass with a soft eye for Sydney. Sydney, whose smile warmed every person it reached. Those two were quite the combination.
Peyton and Sydney spent the night dancing, laughing and genuinely making fools out of themselves. Their dance moves were pleasant to watch. His eyes lingered on Peyton who swayed her hips and shook her tight rounded backside fluidly. But when the women got lost in their own world disregarding everyone around them they turned into young silly girls. It made him chuckle inside on more than one occasion. They managed to drag Jake up for a few dances and had no difficulty teaching their parents some new moves.
Maybe he was doing more than stealing glances, it would appear he was eye-stalking Peyton.
Nothing was bringing her mood down like whenever he was near her. Like a light switch his presence transformed the delightful woman into a saucy, hot lipped sass. Why did that make his insides smile?
Game plan. That was his intention this evening...for the second time. Besides their parents now being an item, he wasn’t looking for anything serious. Not after Lauren. Not after Lily. All of that had been too many lies for him to absorb after what he thought was a solid marriage.
Nothing was ever as it seemed.
Peyton thought he was a colossal womanizing ass...and that wasn’t him at all. He’d had plenty of women after the destruction between him and Lauren while he was trying to fix the missing parts of him she’d torn out and stomped on with her designer spike heels. That hadn’t lasted. And he’d realized there was no fixing him. He was permanently broken. No recycling was going to salvage him.
Which brought him to the blonde Peyton was so hurt seeing him with after their encounter. He would have to bring her into the Game Plan if they were ever going to be friends.
When Colt saw Peyton retreat to the table alone he took his opportunity and excused himself. From who? He wasn’t sure. He was standing around nodding and agreeing but staring past them at Peyton. They didn’t notice as he walked away. The drunken fools wouldn’t even know what they were drinking anymore.
These crowds were why he had no desire to come in the first place and he’d ended up in their presence because Peyton wanted him away...and she was the reason he was here in the first place. His night seemed as confusing as his whole life. At least he could attempt to repair him and Peyton and hopefully the finale lacked her hatred toward him.
Colt slid into a chair across from her. “Hey,” he said.
Like a switch the cute smile on her face dropped and those barriers built up around her like the accordion cowboy boot pop-up decoration between them on the table. He slid it out of the way.
“Having a good time?” she asked, but her body
language said she didn’t care. Or she was trying to pretend not to care.
“Colt Patterson.” Why couldn’t Peyton’s voice ever sound as excited as the tall blonde he hadn’t noticed follow him to the table? He was pretty sure he went to school with her. “Ask a girl to dance already,” she flirted.
He wasn’t in the mood. This was the result of any outing he took, any bar, any restaurant. He used to hold his ring up and the women would know and back right up with that awe he’s-faithful-to-his-wife look. But now they were merciless.
He tipped his hat. “Can’t tonight,” he drawled even if he wasn’t in the mood, he didn’t want to be rude either. “I’m here with my gal tonight.”
Peyton sent Colt a glare. “Don’t be silly darlin’,” she mocked, then flashed her red lip smile at the blonde glowering down on her. He had that affect on women. “I would be grateful if you would take him for a spin on the floor and give my feet a break for the next dance.”
It was his turn to glare at Peyton’s mocking smile. If he’d wanted to dance with the blonde he would have damn well done it.
Colt’s newest dance partner squealed with excitement and grabbed his hand, not leaving him an opportunity for any more excuses. He caught Peyton’s hand before the q-tip took him for a spin on the dance floor and leaned in close to her. “I am holding you up to that dance when I’m done.” And just because, and against everything he was fighting to establish between them, he bent even further and kissed her lips enjoying her gasp and leaving the aftermath stain of her lipstick on his lips.
The blonde didn’t really like that, but he didn’t really care. He didn’t like the way she thought he was her ticket to fame, so they both had things going against each other.
Colt was grateful for the fast song and still couldn’t wait to get it over and done with and get away from the fake high pitch laughs.
He was surprised to find Peyton still sitting at the table when he returned. He thought for sure her long legs would have carried her the hell out of there after his kiss and dance threat. Maybe she wanted to dance with him or maybe she was ready to fight her way out of it. Either way, he was game.
“Your turn.” He offered his hand to her and caught Sydney watching out of the corner of her eye.
Peyton looked at his hand as though it was the covered in spikes...then she smirked. “Alright Patterson. I will dance with you after you take little ol’ Maggie for a sincere whirl around the floor. For an entire song.”
He almost laughed. She was attempting to bargain with him...for a dance! He found it amusing since he could choose any woman in this room single or married and they wouldn’t even have a single doubt before taking his hand. But Peyton...she was bartering with him!
Unfortunately for himself, he didn’t want to dance with any other woman. He hadn’t wanted to dance, talk, converse, or even smile at any other woman today or since Lauren’s deception...until Peyton.
Peyton’s eyes were daring him. She didn’t think he would do it and in turn she wouldn’t have to dance with him. What did she know? I will show you McAdams.
Colt turned and she called him back. That was more like it.
Peyton stood and stepped close to him, her hand moved to his face. What was she doing?
“You have a little...” Her hand touched his chin and she rubbed her thumb across his bottom lip. “...of my lipstick.”
The rest of the room faded out and he was losing his battle again wanting to touch her lips with his thumb. His breath caught in his chest and he could have sworn hers did the same. And there was that desire in her eyes. Pull away! Pull the hell away!
Peyton reclaimed her hand back and stepped back crashing them back into the room around them. “There you go.”
There you go? There you go!
Colt found that little ol’ Maggie still at the ticket table and pulled her...like it was so hard...onto the dance floor to a medium-paced country song.
Maggie surprised him with a handful of absurd and impressive dance moves that a lady of her age could still perform. When he spun her she had no problem retaliating back around and into his arms.
Afterwards her elderly friends gathered around for pictures before he was allowed to leave and a five minute dance turned into a twenty-minute affair.
Colt was the eye-candy now as Peyton’s surprised look followed him to the dance floor, which quickly became an astounded look, watching Maggie’s moves and finally she was simply smiling. She’d been eye-stalking him the whole dance. Even though she tried to hide it, Colt knew Peyton wanted him as much as he wanted her...physically. That was the reason they had to talk, so they could move past this physical attraction that was getting them into trouble.
As Colt reached the table, Peyton stood, knowing she was defeated and the next dance she had promised to him.
“Alright I’m impressed. I’m even flattered,” she said.
Colt slowed his pace in front of her acting like he was going to sweep her off her feet just as she was expecting, then he purposely passed her invitation and slid into a chair leaving her standing alone. He couldn’t see her face, but he suspected she was in shock. It made him smirk.
He took a gulp of a much needed drink of crappy soda. What he craved was an ice cold beer.
When Peyton turned, good humor crossed her face. “Smooth,” she said.
He shrugged. “It was Maggie I came here for.”
Peyton laughed and was about to sit down but it was really Peyton he came for. He was relishing in the confusing signals he was conveying to her and sending her all over the place. He stood and grabbed her waist. A rumble of unexpected laughter followed them to the dance floor.
“You are such a jerk.”
A young, up-and-coming band was playing country/rock in a catchy tune that had them swinging and swaying. Their parents, Sydney and Jake joined them and he was part of the crowd he had been watching earlier. He was actually having fun. He didn’t find himself waiting for the moment he could escape and go home. Or counting down the minutes. He was having good old-fashioned fun. How long had it been?
When a slow song started, and the singer told everyone to grab that love of their life, Kent respectfully guided Elaine into his arms. Sydney and Jake headed for the bar with Peyton following.
Colt wrapped his arm around Peyton’s waist and easily pulled her into his embrace. There was no argument. She surprised him by smiling, while keeping her distance even as her arm roped around his neck.
“I have a game plan,” he said deciding this was the perfect opportunity to get their friendship started.
“I was never good at sports,” she said referring to his hockey analogy.
“Yes you were. I remember you chasing the puck with your clumsy legs in the backyard.”
Peyton laughed. “I didn’t say I don’t enjoy sports...I said I was never very good at them.”
He laughed. “I could give you some lessons.”
She tilted her head and sent him a questioning look. “Is that part of your game plan?”
He sobered. “No.” See the game plan was working already. Just the reminder put him back on track. “The game plan...” he started but Peyton cut him off short.
“The game plan,” she said in a low sexy whisper. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
He smiled, then nudged them in the direction of their folks. “Look at them.” In perfect timing Elaine and Kent passed them in a much quicker motion then Colt was moving Peyton.
Peyton smiled. “They’re so cute,” she said.
“They like each other.”
“I know,” she said. “I saw it today, remember?”
Yeah, he was grateful that she’d saw it and not him. “So the game plan is to apologize to you for not calling you. That was a dumbass thing to do.” He paused to give her a chance to acknowledge his apology.
“Alright,” she agreed, suspiciously eyeing him up.
“Also to explain the blonde I was pictured with was my attorney’s as
sistant.”
She pushed away from him. “You banged your attorney’s assistant?”
“What? No.” He pulled her back. When she stared at him questioningly he re-enforced his answer. “I did not bang my attorney’s secretary. I don’t bang every woman I meet.”
Peyton made a face that screamed she didn’t believe him and turned her head away from him.
“Peyton,” he said moving his head to catch her eyes. When she finally looked at him he said, “I don’t have sex with every woman I meet. You weren’t just another woman in my back pocket and I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.”
Honestly he didn’t know why he had touched her in that bathroom. He’d been freezing after walking around outside in below freezing temperatures and needed to get out of the wet clothes off. Then Peyton was staring at him not like he was a prized possession but like she wanted him. He hadn’t been able to resist her.
“I didn’t plan it. I wasn’t looking for it. You weren’t just there and I needed to release some tension.”
He stopped moving.
“And it was fantastic, don’t get me wrong.” The last thing he wanted was for her to get angry because she thought he hadn’t glorified in it. He couldn’t stop thinking about it...but he wasn’t about to tell her that. “There was something between us that I haven’t felt in a long time.” Why am I telling her that? His legs began moving again and she followed. “And when you looked at me with that same desire I knew there was something between us...”
Peyton cut him off. “Whoa, whoa, whoa you. If this is turning into you wanting a relationship with me I’m not looking. Is that why you’ve been chasing me around?”
“What? No.” That’s not where he was going at all. Where were you going with that sentence?
“Good.” Peyton truly looked relieved.
“You’re making me feel cheap here.”
She smiled. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry.” Get back on track. “I think we should agree what happened in the shower,” he grinned at her...he couldn’t help it. “And in my bedroom,” he said slowly, with another grin. “And your steamy eyes in the coat room.”
Lakeshore Legend: The McAdams Series (By The Lake Series Book 2) Page 8